Car-brake



3 Sheets-Sheet 1. T. TRIPP.

OAR BRAKE.

(No Model.)

No, 450,761. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

INyENTUR- BY 5 $4M w WITNESSES:

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T-. TRIPP.

GAR BRAKE.

No. 450,761. Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

WITNESSES;

WM 5: awm/a w ATTIJRNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. T. TRIPP.

GAR BRAKE.

Patented Apr. 21, 1891.

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS TRIPP, OF AVON, MASSACHUSETTS.

- CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent No. 450,761, dated April21, 1891.

Application filed December 15, 1890- Serial No. 374,802. (No model.)

. the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a newand useful Car- Brake, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in canbrakes of a class designedfor use upon steam and street cars; and the objects of my improvementsare, first, to produce a carbrake of great power and possessing in usegreat durability and safety; second, to accomplish these results by theuse of as few separate simple pieces of mechanism as possible; third, toinsure a quick-acting, powerful, durable, economical car-brake,whichshall consist of few parts, so arranged as to obtain a maximumefficiency with a minimum amount of wear, thereby greatly reducingthclllJllllOLlS vibration of the brake-gear.

The drawings represent the car-brake as applied to a streetcar.

Figure 1 represents in plan my device as applied to a streetcar truck ofa style especially adapted for electric-motor car purposes, thecar-sills, the journal-box, tie-bars, and brake-beam supporter, and thebrakeshaft connecting-rods being broken in order to show my device moreclearly. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of Fig. 1. Fig. i represents in elevation, on an enlargedscale, one brake-block, a portion of one brakebeam, the brake-beamsliding block, and brake-beam sliding block and spring-holder, thetie-bar being represented in section. Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of thebeam sliding block and spring-holder, brake-beam sliding block, thebrake-beam being represented in cross-section. In this view thebrake-beam spring and sliding block are shown in their respectivepositions. Fig. 6 is a front elevation of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents Fig.5 in plan. Fig. 8 represents the brake-beam crank in side elevation.Fig. 9 represents the brake-beam crank in front elevation, and Fig. 10is a sectional view of Fig. 8 on line 20. Fig. 11 represents thebrakeblock in side elevation, on an enlarged scale. Fig. 12 representsin side elevation a modi- 'fied form of brakedoeam crank or quadrant,

and Fig. 13 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 14 is a sectionalview of Fig. 12 on line 21 21. Fig. 15 represents the brake-beam slidingblock in side elevation, and Fig. 16 is a sectional view of the same online 22 22.

The following parts are all of a class and style such as are in use uponseveral streetrailways: sills 30, pedestals 31, journal-boxes 32, sidejournal-springs 33, journal-box tiebars and brake-beam supporters 3i,axles 35, wheels 36, brake-shaft connecting-rods 37, dash-guard 38,lower brake-shaft bearing 39, upper brake-shaft bearing 4.0,brake-shafts 41, brake-shaft cranks 42, and transverse floortimbers 43.

The brake-beams ii and 4e are alike, so are the secondary brake-rods and45 and the brake-blocks l6 and a6, except that they are rights andlofts, and they are constructed and connected as follows: Eachbrake-beam has its ends made alike, and each end, as shown upon anenlarged scale by Fi 4., as 4%, is provided with the reduced portion 47,upon which the brake-block l6 is loosely fitted. The brake-block issecurely held in its position of oppositeness to the car-wheel upon thelength of the brake-bea1n by means of the shoulder 48 and the cotter 49.This construction permits the free rotative movement of the brake -bea1nwithin the brake-blocks. One of the brake-blocks 4G is represented uponan enlarged scale by Figs. l and 11, and it is provided with the lug 50,having the hole 51, by means of which it is mounted upon the brake-beam.It is also provided with the side projection 52, of semi rectangularsection, which is so constnucted as to permit its reciprocatingmovements within the brake-beam sliding block and spring-holder.

The brake-beam sliding block and springholders 53 and 53' are alike,except t-hatthey are rights and lofts. The brake-beam sliding block andspringholder 53 is represented upon an enlarged scale by Figs. l, 5, 6,and 7, and it is provided with the following: l-Ioles 5i, by the use ofwhich it is bolted in its po sition upon the journal-box tie-bar andbrakebeam supporter 3l,springand brake-beam sliding-block pocket 55,closed at one end and open at the other, designed to receive within itthe brake-beam spiral spring 56 and brake-beam permit (in use) the freeescape of all dust,

sliding block 57, slot 58, designed to permit within it thereciprocating movements of the brake-beams, and apertures 59, adapted towater, and ice which might (if permitted to remain) tend to clog thedevice,

The brake-beam sliding blocks 57 are alike, and one is represented uponan enlarged scale by Figs. 4, 15, and 16, and it is adapted to slidewithin the brake-beam sliding block and spring-holder. It is providedwith hole 60, adapted to receive within it one end of the brake-beam,and in use it performs a double duty-first, as a cross-head or slide forthe brake-beam; second, as a means of transmitting to the brake-beam themovements of the spiral spring.

The brake-beam cranks 61 and 61 are alike, and one is represented uponan enlarged scale by Figs. 8, 9, and 10, and it is designed to besecured to the brake-beam in any well-known manner, or, if it is desiredto be adjustable upon brake-shaft, the set-screws 62 may be used. Thequadrant-crank 63 (represented by Figs. 12, 13, and 14) may besubstituted for the brake-beam crank, if it is desired, to obtain moreperfect leverage upon the brakebeam.

In the usual manner each brake-shaft connecting-rod 37 has its forkedend connected with the brake-beam crank and its chain end connected withthe brake-shaft. This mechanism is designed to be operated in the usualway by turning the brake-shaft by means of the brake-shaft crank,thereby winding the chain end of the brake-shaft connecting-rod upon thebrake-shaft.

Each end of each secondary brake-rod is provided with a chainandeyebolt, each eyebolt being securely fastened to its respectivebrake-beam. These secondary brake-rods may be made adjustable as totheir length, if desired, by the employment of an y well-known device,such as a common turn-buckle, which is represented on rod 5, Fig. 1.These rods, by reason of their chain ends, may be shortened by thewinding of the chains upon the brake-beam when it is turned by thebrake-shaft mechanism.

The tensiolr of each brake-beam spiral spring may be adjusted by the useof shims or any well known device, such as a plate and set-screw, asrepresented by Fig. 1, as applied to one brake-beam sliding block andspring-holder.

All the parts having been constructed, arranged, and connected, asdescribed, the operation of my deviceis as follows: The brakes beingapplied in the usual manner by the use of the brake-shaft crank by theoperator, the power applied thereto is conveyed, first, to thebrake-shaft, giving to it a rotary motion; second, the chain end of thebrake -shaft connecting-rod, being thereby wound upon the brake-shaft,gives the brake-beam a rotary movement by reason of the brake-powerbeing conveyed to the brake-beam by means brake-blocks toward thewheel-treads.

of the brake-shaft connecting-rod and brakebeam crank or lever. Thisrotary motion of the brake-beam forces thebrake-beams toward each other,for the reason that they are con- 'parts, which are so arranged that amaximum leverage may be obtained, reducing the speed of the motionapplied .to the handle of the brake-shaft crank to the slow motion ofthe I The brake-blocks in operation move only in lines at right angleswith the axis of the car-axles, for the reason that they are looselyfitted to the brake-beams, and at the same time they are guided by theirsemi-rectangular sections traveling within the slot of the brake-beamsliding block and spring-holder, and the reciprocating movements of thebrake-beams are in the same lines, for the reason that to each end of abrake-beam is fitted a sliding block or cross-head, which travels withinthesliding-block pocket of the brake-beam sliding block andspring-holder. The action of the brake-beam spiral springs (in operationwhen the brakes are released) is to force the brakeblocks clear of thetread of the wheels. This releasing actionis accomplished bythe springspressing against the sliding blocks, which control the sliding orreciprocating movement of the brake-beam, to which are attached thebrake-blocks.

It is obvious that the power to operate the brake-bean1s may be obtainedfrom other sources than hand power, such as the air, hydraulic, andvacuum brake, which may be directly connected with the brake-beamcranksin any well-known manner.

As a matter of safety, two secondary brakerods are used, as the breakageof either rod would not materially interfere with the operation of thebrakes.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car-truck, in combination with operative mechanism, thebrake-beams connected together by means of the secondary brakerodshaving chain ends, each brake-beam being provided with a brake-beamcrank or lever, and the brake-blocks, each of which is loosely fitted tothe brake-beam and each being provided with a projection having asemirectangular section adapted to fit into and be guided by the slot inthe brake-beam sliding block and spring-holder, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a car-truck, the brake-beams connected together by means offlexible rods and IOU having loosely mounted thereon the slidingbrake-blocks, which are guided in their reciprocating movements by thebrake-beam sliding block and spring-holders, which are provided withspiral springs, in combination with operative mechanism whereby inbraking action the brake-blocks moving in horizontal lines are pressedagainst the wheeltreads by the rotary movements of the brakebeams, andthe releasing action is accomplished by the tension of the spiralsprings, which push the brake-blocks from the Wheeltreads, substantiallyas described.

3. In combination, the brake-beams 44: and 44, secondary brake-rods 45and 45', brakeblocks 46 and 46, brake-beam sliding block andspring-holders 53 and 53', springs 56, and brake-beam cranks 61 and 61,substantially as described.

i. In combination with operative mechanism, the brake-beams It and 44:,secondary THOMAS TRIPP.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES O. FARRAR, WALTER L. PERRY.

